Corn-grader.



No. 864,894. PATENTED SEPT. 3, 1907.

' U. HUNNIGUTT.

CORN GRADER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1906.

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PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HUNNIOUTT, OF WILMINGTON, OHIO.

CORN-GRADER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept; 3, 1907;

Application filed February 26, 1906. Serial No- 302,872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES HUNNICUTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilmington, in the county of Clinton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Corn-Grader, of which the following is a full and explicit exposition and specification, such will enable others to make and use the same.

This invention has particular reference to a device for grading seed-corn or the like, especially as to thickness of grains, and the object I have in view in this present invention is to provide a corn grader which will be simple in construction and operation, practical, and efficient in the results obtained thereby, which will be inexpensive to produce, and which may be adjusted for any desired thickness of-grains.

Other minor objects and particular advantages will be presented in the course of the ensuing specification, will appear in the drawings, and will be correlated in the claims hereunto appended.

The preferred construction of this invention, and that which in practice I have determined to be the most practical, is shown most clearly in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a top plan view of my entire invention; Fig. 2 shows a bottom plan view of same, Fig. 3 shows an end view of same, with the near end member removed; Fig 4 is an inside face view of one of the end members; and Fig. 5 shows a slight modification of the invention from that shown in the other views of the drawings.

Similar reference characters denote like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In this instance the numerals 1 and 2 designate the downwardly converging side members of the device, and the numerals 3 and 4 designate the vertical end niembers,-together forming a trough-like receptacle as shown most clearly in Fig. 1.

The numeral 5 denotes the dividing-bar, preferably of round contour, which has its ends secured by screws or the like (as indicated by the screw 30 in Figs. 3 and 4) and it is secured to the lower central portion of the inner faces of the end members 3 and 4, said screws or the like passing through the end members 3 and 4 and then centrally into the ends of the dividing-bar 5. The

said members 3 and 4; are formed deltoid or triangular,

converging downward corresponding to the normal inclination oi the sides 1 and 2. The ends of the sides 1 and 2 abut the inner faces of the ends 3 and 4, being pivoted near their upper edges by screws or the like: The screws 6 and 7 passing through the upper corner portions of the end member 3, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4; and the screws 8 and 9 passing through the upper corners of the end member 4, as indicated in Fig. 5.

From the above it is evident that the dividing-bar is retained relatively stationary, while the sides are pivoted to swing, being suspended from the upper portions as indicated.

I will now describe the means for holding the lower edges of the side members relatively stationary from the dividing-bar. The numerals 1.0, 1.]. and 12 denote spacing plates, each having a central aperture there thro ugh for its respective screw 13, 1 1 and 15, by which said plates are secured to the dividing-bar 5 as shown. In each end portion of each of the said spacing-plates is formed slots, 1617, 18-]9, and 20-21, respectively, which slots are formed longitudinally o'l said plates, as shown in Fig. 2. Each of said slots is provided with a set-screw, as 22-23, 24t-25. and 2(3-27, respectively, which screws are adapted to be inserted into the lower outer edges of the sides 1 and 2 as shown, thereby allowing the lower edges of the sides to have a limited movement only, depending on the length of said slots.

From the above it is apparent that the sides 1 and 2 may be spaced the desired distance from the dividingbar 5, and then by tightening said screws 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27 the said sides will be locked at the points with relation to the dividing-bar, substantially as shown in the drawings.

It will now be seen that desiring to grade shelled corn to a predetermined thickness of grain,-I have only to set the sides whereby their lower inner edges will bear the same relative distance from the dividingbar as is the desired thickness of the grains of corn to be retained.

After being adjusted as explained a quantity of shelled corn may be placed in the grader, the grader being in the position shown in Fig. 1, and a vibratory movement being given to the device it is evident that the small, imperfect, and undesirable grains will pass through the slots on each side of the dividing-bar, and that retained in the grader may be preserved for the purposes desired, or vice versa.

It is also apparent that the dividing-bar 5 may be dispensed with, as shown in Fig. 5, and the lower portions of the sides 1 and 2 secured directly to the ends by screws, as indicated by the screws 28 and 29 in Fig. 5, thereby providing only a single slot for the grains of corn to pass through, whereas in the preferred construction two slots are provided.

It is also apparent that the dividing-bar 5 may be formed square, or hexagon, or of any other contour, in cross section if desired, which will give practically the same results.

While I have shown and described the best means known to me at this time for the practical construction of my invention, I desire that it he understood that lot various changes and variations in the details thereof may be made without departing l'rom the spirit of the invention which is claimed as new and useful.

What 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

A corn grader consisting of a portable V-shaped openbottom trough having; end boards, and downward-converging side boards pivoted toward their upper edges on longitudinal axes to said end boards, a dividing bar extending longitudinally of the open bottom of the trough, retaining members secured intermediate their length to said bar and having longitudinal slots at either side thereof, and screws passing through said slots into the lower edges of the side hoards, whereby the latter may be adjusted as to inclination and held at the several degrees of adjustment.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES HUNNICUTT.

Witnesses .Tosnrn NOON, S. L. BRAUN. 

